NCAA Season Preview: The Big Ten
The Big Ten has become one of the two megaconferences in college sports. What does that mean in women's basketball this year? If nothing else, it means a lot of excitement.
With the NCAA Women’s Basketball season right around the corner, No Cap Space WBB is here to preview every end of the country. We started with a general mid-major preview then dove into the power conferences (Big East, ACC and more coming), priming you for one of the most anticipated women’s basketball seasons in recent memory.
At the heart of realignment was the Big Ten and SEC. In what is the new arms race in college sports, both conferences took some of the best pieces of the Pac-12 and Big 12 while solidifying their grip on their national influence. What does that mean for women’s basketball where some of the best west coast programs now compete in the Big Ten? If nothing else, it’ll promise some serious battles come conference season.
The Teams You Know:
Indiana -
2023 Record & Result: 26-6 (15-3 Big Ten) NCAA Sweet Sixteen
It’s pretty wild to look back at it now but the Hoosiers came awfully close to stealing South Carolina’s Elite Eight spot in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. A furious comeback attempt was just too little too late and the Gamecocks were able to ride that win all the way to another national title. Now, there’s a bit of a reload/rebuild question happening in Bloomington. Will head coach Teri Moren be able to take this group that loses 6’3 forward and two-time All-American Mackenzie Holmes (22.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.9 BPG) and keep the momentum going? There is a good backcourt here but there is also production lost as well. Sara Scalia (16.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.4 APG) graduated too.
Those are two major pieces, to be clear. But there is also a lot of returning firepower from last year’s 26-6 team that finished tied for second in the Big Ten. Sydney Parrish, who has become a heart and soul player much like Grace Berger, is back for a grad transfer season. While some of her averages went down, her three point shooting hit a career high 40%. Team assist and steal leader Chloe Moore-McNeil also returns along with sharpshooting 6’3 swing player Yarden Garzon. If you read through the Big 12 preview, you saw that there’s a lot of teams that are back court heavy and Indiana seems to be another, just in a different conference. 6’3 forward Karolin Striplin transfers from Tennessee and hopes to revitalize her career a bit while the freshmen duo of Sydney Fenn and Faith Wiseman will compete for minutes. The beauty of Indiana is that they have plenty of length and can play somewhat positionless but the big question is who fills the void in the paint. We’ll find out soon. It’s why Teri Moren gets paid the big bucks!
Iowa -
2023 Record & Result: 34-5 (15-3 Big Ten) NCAA Runner-up
Should I even bother listing Caitlin Clark’s stats? We all know the amount of production being lost here. That 2024 class graduated four players who all were major parts of the Hawkeyes run to the NCAA Tournament Final. Clark, of course, was the engine but Iowa also lost Kate Martin, Molly Davis and Gabbie Marshall. Those are massive parts of this crew and it’s not hard to question why voters saw that and Lisa Bluder’s retirement and went ‘yeah, I’ll wait a second before putting them in the AP Top 25’. But don’t doubt new head coach Jan Jensen and her ability to keep the train moving in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. It may not be a 30+ win team but I’d be stunned if this group wasn’t right back in the NCAA Tournament this year.
For starters, they got arguably one of the best transfers of the cycle in Villanova’s Lucy Olsen. The 5’10 guard averaged 23.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.9 steals per game for Villanova last year. The numbers look great but temper your expectations, Hawkeye fans. She isn’t quite a Caitlin Clark type shooter. Her three point numbers are modest (as long as you handwave her WBIT performance last season) but she’s a bonafied scorer and can be a centerpiece for this Iowa team. What helps is that she’ll be running the floor with Hannah Stuelke, whose game will likely take a jump this year after a year of development in the Jensen system. There’s also some nice depth pieces in Kylie Feuerbach and Sydney Affolter, who can play the Molly Davis and Gabbie Marshall roles if need be. This year there’s also some good big depth in Addison O’Grady as well as 6’4 freshman Ava Heiden out of Sherwood, Oregon. What doomed the Hawkeyes in that title game was a lack of frontcourt depth so expect to see some burn for the latter two in the early season. There’s been some writing off of Iowa early here but I’d be surprised if they weren’t in the top half — maybe even the top 5 — of the conference by the end of the season.
Ohio State -
2023 Record & Result: 26-6 (16-2 Big Ten) NCAA Second Round
The Buckeyes were a popular Elite Eight or Final Four pick for many but ended up becoming one of the biggest upset teams of the Tournament, losing to Duke in the second round. It was an unceremonious end to Jacy Sheldon’s tenure in Columbus, one of the great Ohio State careers in women’s basketball history. Now Sheldon (17.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.9 SPG) is in the WNBA as is Celeste Taylor, who had a surprisingly quiet season with OSU after a hyped transfer from Duke. In the frontcourt, the stretch big, 6’4 Rebeka Mikulasikova (9.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.6 APG), graduated but there’s also some returning talent that will help head coach Kevin McGuff’s crew stay plenty competitive this year.
For starters, Cotie McMahon is back. She was the second leading scorer (14.4 PPG) and leading rebounder (6.3 RPG) last year and felt poised for a bigger breakout in her sophomore campaign. But even if the development plateaued a little bit she was still a force within the Big Ten and figures to be an even bigger one this year as more is asked of her. The most intriguing transfer pickup on this roster is Kentucky’s Ajae Petty. At 6’3, she’ll factor into the frontcourt with McMahon and is an elite rebounder (14.2 PPG, 10.6 RPG last year). She was only one of two players to record a 20-20 game last year. Petty and McMahon are augmented by 6’1 Taylor Thierry and some freshmen height — 6’6 Elsa Lemmila and 6’4 Ella Hobbs — can help for depth. As for the guards, Oregon transfer Chance Gray has major breakout potential and elite freshman Jaloni Cambridge has must-see-TV vibes based on her high school accolades. It might be a table-setting year for next season, especially if Cotie sticks around, but I like this Ohio State team to cause some mess in the Big Ten this year.
USC -
2023 Record & Result: 29-6 (13-5 Pac-12) NCAA Elite Eight
Last year was the return to glory for the Women of Troy. Now comes the hard part: maintaining success and trying to bring USC their first NCAA Championship in 40 years. They already have a superstar in JuJu Watkins, added a budding superstar in transfer forward Kiki Iriafen and have a couple freshmen on the roster that could contribute immediately or in the future depending on how it all shakes out. That’s not to say they didn’t lose talent in the offseason but that’s more a function of the 2023-2024 roster construction than anything else. McKenzie Forbes, Kayla Padilla and Kaitlyn Davis were all Ivy League transfers who played major roles in getting USC back to prominence. But now that the heavy lift of a rebuild is done, it’s clear head coach Lindsay Gottlieb is going all in on this year and maximizing a window with JuJu.
The balance of this USC team stands out immediately when you take a glance at their roster. Rayah Marshall is back (10.2 PPG, 10.5 RPG) and will be a frontcourt anchor while Iriafen (19.4 PPG, 11.0 RPG at Stanford) is expanding her game to be a full three-level scorer. I’d also expect to see some more minutes from 6’6 center Clarice Akunwafo and one their freshmen forwards, particularly 6’3 Vivian Iwuchukwu, to get some run. The guards are fun as hell. JuJu, Oregon State transfer Talia von Oelhoffen (who will surprise some folks, I think), top recruits Kennedy Smith, Kayleigh Heckel and Avery Howell. It’s legitimately an embarrassment of riches. How they all manage to make it work will be the story of the season. Much of last year was rooted in letting JuJu cook but now you have an entire roster around her that can also score. Does that prompt a change in her game and how does Coach Gottlieb figure it all out? You just gotta watch them. I sure will.
UCLA -
2023 Record & Result: 27-7 (13-5 Pac-12) NCAA Sweet Sixteen
This feels like the make-or-break year for UCLA where we learn if head coach Cori Close can make a deep tournament run as a head coach. After 14 years, the Bruins head coach has had some great teams but a bit of trouble getting over the hump of making it to a Final Four. Last years’ group that finished second in the Pac-12 felt like they had the makeup but were eliminated in the Sweet 16 by Angel Reese’s LSU. How did Coach Close respond? By loading up even more in the transfer portal to build one of the best on-paper rosters in the nation. They do lose Charisma Osborne who really did it all (for better or worse, sometimes) at the guard spot for the Bruins. 6’4 Emily Bessoir, 6’4 Izzy Anstey and 6’3 Lina Sontag all graduated but I found their two portal replacements — Texas A&M’s Janiah Barker and Oregon State’s Timea Gardiner — are clear upgrades in terms of scoring and versatility.
Lauren Betts returns to anchor the frontcourt along with 6’4 Angela Dugalic, who has some things to prove after two bad performances against USC and LSU in the Pac-12 Tournament and NCAA Tournament, respectively. Kiki Rice, the former No. 1 overall recruit in the country, is back this year after an improved sophomore campaign. I still sometimes get a Haley Jones vibe with Rice where I feel like ‘takeover’ talent is there but a killer instinct that has a tendency to wax and wane. But make no mistake, when Rice is on, she is *ON*. The portal help is significant in Gardiner, a 6’3 floor spacing three point scorer who was a major part of Oregon State’s Elite Eight team. Janiah Barker has all the talent in the world and hopefully a change of scenery and coaching will help her find the ceiling that makes her such an enticing WNBA prospect. Former Washington State guard Charlisse Leger-Walker can very easily slot into the Charisma Osborne role. That’s before we get to other pieces like Gaby Jaquez and Londynn Jones as well as elite freshmen Kendall Dudley and Avary Cain. Much like their crosstown rival, the question isn’t the talent. It’s how they work and how they’re coached. The table is set. Can Cori Close truly cook? All I know is that the best games of the year will be those Battle of LA matchups.
The Teams to Watch:
Illinois -
2023 Record & Result: 19-15 (8-10 Big Ten) WBIT Champion
Head coach Shauna Green is rapidly becoming one of the most interesting coaching names for the truly elite level of jobs and if she manages to make another leap with the Illini, get ready to hear her name a lot. The initial regular season was a step back in 2024 following an NCAA Tournament First Four Trip. But Green managed to inject some late season energy in her team and they went on to win the WBIT (the new tournament that is essentially a new WNIT). Best of all, they bring back four of their starting five including Makira Cook (the WBIT Most Outstanding Player), Genesis Bryant and Kendall Bostic. All three were also named to the All-Big Ten second team or were honorable mentions. There are a few depth transfers in sophomores Camille Jackson and Kam’ren Rhodes. But it’s worth noting that their four outgoing underclassmen — Jackson, Rhodes, Aisha Ndour and Samantha Dewey — all ended up at lower level schools. To me that indicates that Illinois isn’t viewed as a jumping off point for top players to leave. That’s big for Green.
So who returns? Well, the aforementioned four are pretty important. Cook, Bryant and Bostic were the three leading scorers from last years team. Bostic was the rebounding leader while Cook was the assist leader. 6’3 center Camille Hobby does graduate but there is depth in size on the roster. I’m also always interested whenever I see an extremely tall player on the team since it’s shown that only a select few coaches know how to manage that kind of height in the women’s game. 6’7 Baylor transfer Lety Vasconcelos is worth watching to see if Green can unlock something in her. Joining her in the frontcourt is another big, 6’6 Hayven Smith, who is a freshman. This is, to me, the sneakiest team in the Big Ten. The Illini only see Iowa, Indiana, USC, UCLA and Ohio State once this year. Most of their schedule is teams of their level or less so don’t be surprised if you look up and see Shauna Green’s toward the top of the conference standings.
Maryland -
2023 Record & Result: 19-14 (9-9 Big Ten) NCAA First Round
Head coach Brenda Frese is a lot like Jeff Walz in that she has managed to cobble together rosters, proverbially flip the bird to doubters and figure out how to make some runs in March that keep her in the elite tier of coaches. It makes sense, given Walz is one of Frese’s most successful disciples. But, like her protege, last year was the first where it felt like the long term outlook was in question. How did the Terps head coach respond? By loading up in the portal and committing to getting Shyanne Sellers the help she needs. Three of her top players from last year — Lavender Briggs, Brinae Alexander and Jakia Brown-Turner — did graduate and some depth pieces did transfer out. But what the portal gave them meshes well with what their existing roster is. There’s a lot more depth inside and that might be the difference for a team that has been routinely run off the floor by taller squads late in the year.
The centerpiece of Maryland is 6’2 Shyanne Sellers, who is quietly one of the most intriguing WNBA prospects on Big Boards this year. And she’s great! But the most electric player on this roster is one with the coolest name: VCU transfer Sarah Te-Biasu. It’s a shame we didn’t get to see her in March but we probably will this year. The 5’5 senior averaged 16 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game while contributing on the defensive end as well, averaging 2.0 steals per game. That’s to go along with Rutgers transfer Kaylene Smikle, former Virginia star Mir McLean and returning guard Bri McDaniel. Add in 6’6 Amari DeBerry, who hopefully stays healthy this year, along with 6’2 Christina Dalce and you finally have some big depth for the first time since Angel Reese left. Arkansas transfer Saylor Poffenbarger, a 6’2 swing shooter, feels like a prototypical Frese player and there’s a lot to like about this Maryland team. I don’t think the fall off comes in College Park this year. If anything, the Terps feel loaded and ready for battle in a much deeper Big Ten than they’re used to.
Michigan -
2023 Record & Result: 20-14 (9-9 Big Ten) NCAA First Round
The Wolverines had another okay season in 2024, losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and finishing in the middle of the Big Ten. It’s felt like head coach Kim Barnes Arico is still looking for the next great Michigan star after Naz Hillmon but that’s totally understandable. They don’t make many like the current Atlanta Dream forward. Unfortunately, what looked to be a good roster returning plenty of talent was pretty decimated by the transfer portal and while they did manage to get a few players in return, the Wolverines will be looking to utilize their two elite freshman guards to lead the way in Ann Arbor. Gone is Laila Phelia, the All-Big-Ten first teamer who transferred to Texas. Chyra Evans, who figured to factor in heavily this year, is now in Utah. Cameron Williams, the 6’3 senior forward, transferred to Miami while freshman Taylor Woodson headed to Minnesota.
So what is there to be excited about? Plenty, as it turns out. It starts with Syla Swords and Olivia Olson. The two freshmen guards join a former McDonald’s All-American in Greta Kampschroeder in shoring up the Michigan backcourt. Swords, in particular, is the player to watch. She’s the youngest Canadian to ever be selected for an Olympic women’s basketball team, playing in Paris this past summer. Olson is the 2024 Minnesota High School Player of the Year and has been committed to Michigan for two years. The question will lie in who steps up in the Wolverines front court. They bring in two freshman in Aaiyanna Dunbar and Te’Yala Delfosse who weren’t super highly touted coming out of high school. Ally VanTimmeren and 6’5 Iulia Grabovskaia are transfers and will likely be asked to carry the load. Is that enough in a loaded Big Ten? It’s a worthwhile question but Swords and Olson will be interesting enough to turn the TV on at least.
Michigan State -
2023 Record & Result: 22-9 (12-6 Big Ten) NCAA First Round
Head coach Robyn Fralick’s first season in East Lansing was definitely a success as she took the Spartans to the NCAA Tournament and finished with a 22-9 record. What makes the run even better is how much talent stuck around even as other big programs came calling for their stars. The biggest loss, Deedee Hagemann, pulled a late surprise moving from Ole Miss to Memphis. The 5’7 senior finished with 12.3 points, 2.4 points and 5.2 assists per game and was Sparty’s third leading scorer. Grad senior Moira Joiner, who averaged 14.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, also has graduated and moved on. But the biggest star, Julia Ayrault, is back and as long as she’s involved then Michigan State has an established floor.
Ayrault had a breakout campaign last year leading the team in scoring (15.4 PPG) and rebounding (7.3 RPG) on just 25 minutes per game. They also get some backcourt help in the form of a former Fralick star, Nyla Hampton. The two were together in Bowling Green and Hampton is a two-time MAC Defensive Player of the Year. Alongside Hampton is Jaddan Simmons, who feels like a player in the mold of Hagemann, adds scoring and versatility (read: defense) from Arizona State. But the real player to watch here is Oregon transfer Grace VanSlooten. For those in the know, GVS is arguably one of the highest ceiling players in college basketball. She’s a 6’3 forward with shades of Satou Sabally and flashed that athleticism plenty of times in Eugene but couldn’t put it fully together. With Fralick as her head coach, it is very possible VanSlooten finds that form and ceiling again. It wouldn’t shock me to see another Tournament run from the Spartans and, if GVS performs the way I think she can, put a scare into a few top teams this season.
Minnesota -
2023 Record & Result: 20-16 (5-13 Big Ten) WNIT Runner-up
The first season in Minneapolis for head coach Dawn Plitzuweit looked promising but injury after injury after injury derailed what was a promising year. Mara Braun, the Golden Gophers star, played just 20 games. Sophie Hart nursed a hip injury while freshman Kennedy Klick suffered a season ending injury in January. The loss of Braun was the most significant and fundamentally altered the end of Minnesota’s season. Don’t believe me? The Gophers were 14-5 prior to her injury and 2-0 after she returned. Between those times? 2-9. Enough said.
The benefit is that Braun returns and will pair with Big Ten All-Freshman selection Grace Grocholski (10.8 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.0 APG) who led the team in three pointers made last year. Amaya Battle (12.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.6 SPG) is also back and will factor in heavily alongside UMass transfer Alexsia Rose (11.4 PPG). The bigs are something of an unknown but Nebraska transfer Annika Stewart provides length and size as well as CSU Bakersfield transfer Jordan Brooks, who played sporadically last year as she herself dealt with injuries. There’s a lot to like about Minnesota especially as long as Braun remains healthy.
Nebraska -
2023 Record & Result: 23-12 (11-7 Big Ten) NCAA Second Round
Head coach Amy Williams had one of her best seasons in Lincoln amidst one of the most underreported stories of last season. Former player Ashley Scoggin filed suit against the University alleging that she was groomed by former assistant coach Chuck Love and that the relationship turned sexual. The suit alleged that Williams knew and called a team meeting to address the matter. Love’s court filing denied the sexual nature of the relationship while the University responded with a defense filing saying Williams did not know about the meeting and that Scoggin was cut because of a loss of trust with her teammates. As the suit continues, Williams coaches and the Huskers play. It didn’t seem to affect the season very much and likely won’t this year. But it remains in the background, especially if a suit does go to a discovery phase and into court. In the meantime, there is still a season ahead and some team analysis to be done.
Jaz Shelley, who was one of the engine guards that made the Huskers go in the way that they did, graduated and was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury. But star center Alexis Markowski is back and will command the touches and attention from both her teammates and opponents. She finished 2024 with 15.7 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while earning All-Big-Ten first team honors. Natalie Potts, Nebraska’s third leading scorer (10.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG) is back but the question will be who replaces Shelley. Darian White, one contender to be at the center of the guard rotation, graduated as well so it will likely fall to Logan Nissley, who played around 18 minutes per game last year. Florida transfer Alberte Rimdal, who was an SEC All-Freshman in 2022, is another that will factor in. Given that Shelley was such a vital part of the Huskers’ success it may take some time for them to find the successor. But as long as Nebraska has Markowski, they’ll be competitive especially with many teams trying to find a frontcourt option that can be all-conference quality.
The Rest of the Field:
Northwestern -
2023 Record & Result: 9-21 (4-14 Big Ten)
There’s been a couple rough years for Northwestern since Veronica Burton went to the WNBA. This year might not be much better especially as the Big Ten has gotten deeper. Senior Melannie Daley is back after leading the Wildcats in scoring with 13.3 points per game on a nearly 50% field goal percentage. Kyla Jones transfers in from Brown and will be asked to carry a major leadership role with the team. Forward Caileigh Walsh will average 13 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, the latter being a team high. But the measure of success will be in incremental growth with so many new (and elite) faces in the conference.
Oregon -
2023 Record & Result: 11-21 (2-16 Pac-12)
For the first time in his career, head coach Kelly Graves has fully leaned into the transfer portal. But will it be enough? Past seasons have had great rosters on paper but it hasn’t translated to results on the floor. Graves himself mentioned the loss of Peyton Scott as a major reason for the problems Oregon had last year. Now Scott is back and there is a ton of help, from BYU transfer Nani Falatea to Washington’s Ari Long and, of course, UNC’s Deja Kelly. 6’8 center Phillipina Kyei continues to command the attention in the paint while I expect to see 6’4 Texas transfer Amina Muhammad, UC Santa Barbara transfer Alexis Whitfield and sophomore Sarah Rambus. There’s a lot of equity built up with the administration in regards to how KG has built this program. But they need to see results and soon. Otherwise there may be a coaching change on the horizon in Eugene.
Penn State -
2023 Record & Result: 22-13 (9-9 Big Ten) WBIT Final Four
Head coach Carolyn Kieger had a nice breakthrough season and made it as far as the WBIT semifinals. There’s four returning players and a lot of production that is leaving. Ashley Owusu, Makenna Marisa and Leilani Kapinus have either graduated or transferred out. But they also welcomed 2023 ASUN Freshman of the Year Gracie Merkle who averaged a double-double (15.1 PPG, 11 RPG) on a ridiculous 70.2% shooting. Freshman guard Jill Jekot has earned plenty of early season praise in practices and will factor in this year. It’s a team with a lot of youth and longevity so expect a possible step backward from the 22-13 season last year but it may be building towards another season ahead.
Purdue -
2023 Record & Result: 15-19 (5-13 Big Ten) WNIT Great 8
Purdue faced a bit of portal adversity before the season even started as Big Ten Freshman of the Year Mary Ashley Stevenson transferred to Stanford early in the offseason. But there’s still a lot to like with this Purdue team that could see them be on the bubble or WBIT conversation. Former Big Ten All-Freshman Rashunda Jones returns, bringing dynamic scoring and good defense. Speaking of the latter, watch for Destini Lombard. The Stephen F. Austin transfer is the reigning WAC Defensive Player of the Year. The other under the radar Boilermaker here is Ella Collier, a two time NAIA National Player of the Year. She will have to adjust to the Big Ten but the talent is undeniably there. They miss Stevenson up front but get Reagan Bass, a senior transfer from Akron, in the portal. They might not be flashy but Purdue will at least be interesting.
Rutgers -
2023 Record & Result: 8-24 (2-16 Big Ten)
Head coach Coquese Washington has had two rough seasons in Rutgers, a storied program that is still finding its’ way after the retirement of the legendary C. Vivian Stringer. The player to watch in the long term is five star freshman Kiyomi McMiller whose handles have been compared to that of NBA star Jamal Crawford. Destiny Adams, the leading scorer and rebounder from last year, is returning as well. There’s some good transfers in this class too, including JoJo Lacey and former Kentucky Wildcat Janae Walker. Does it mean they’ll go from 8 to 18 wins in Piscataway? Probably not but I’d expect a nice jump and will be keeping my eye on McMiller, who may not be a day one savior but could develop into a seriously fun player to watch.
Washington -
2023 Record & Result: 16-15 (6-12 Pac-12) WBIT First Round
It’s been surprising to see Tina Langley’s Washington Huskies not make a bigger splash last year and it might be difficult again this season. In the last three years, the Huskies haven’t finished higher than 8th in the Pac-12 which is a far cry from the NCAA Tournament/WNIT champion Rice teams that got her the job in Seattle. Additionally, the team didn’t really load up in the portal and only added four star guard Devin Coppinger in recruiting. With that in mind, they bring back leading scorer, rebounder and rim protector Dalayah Daniels. Double digit scorers Elle Ladine and Hannah Stines are back as well. The issue last year revolved around the fact that the Huskies were capable of beating their competition and those less-than but struggled to beat better rosters and programs. Will they punch above weight this year? It’s a worthwhile question.
Wisconsin -
2023 Record & Result: 15-17 (6-12 Big Ten) WNIT Great 8
It’s been a steady build for head coach Marisa Moseley, who enters her fourth year at the helm of the Badgers program. To be clear, this is a program that has never been particularly successful historically. So any type of increase on a 15-17 year would be considered a success. The team does lose a couple of key contributors from senior Brooke Schramek, who was the Badgers third leading scorer. Now to Serah Williams, the returning star forward. That’s a player you need to pay attention to if you haven’t already. Last year’s Big Ten Defensive Player of the year averaging 17.4 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game, she will once again be the centerpiece of the Badgers game plans. Second leading scorer Ronnie Porter is back, as is key rotational guard Natalie Leuzinger. Most importantly, Williams and Porter led Wisconsin in every major statistical category last season and are returning. Among other teams in the Big Ten, that is exceedingly rare. So there’s always a chance they surprise some teams this year.
The Three Best Players You Know:
JuJu Watkins (USC) - 27.1 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 3.3 APG, 2.3 SPG
2024 USBWA Shooting Guard of the Year
2024 USBWA Freshman of the Year
2024 AP All-American First Team
2024 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year
2024 All-Pac-12 First Team
2024 Pac-12 All-Freshman Team
Hannah Stuelke (Iowa) - 14.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.2 APG
2024 All-Big Ten Second Team
2023 Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year
Cotie McMahon (Ohio State) - 14.4 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.1 APG
2024 AP, USBWA All-American Honorable Mention
2024 All-Big Ten First Team
2023 Big Ten Freshman of the Year
The Five Best Players You Need to Know:
Alexis Markowski (Nebraska) - 15.7 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 1.3 APG
2024 All Big Ten First Team
2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year
Shyanne Sellers (Maryland) - 15.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 5.5 APG
2024 WBCA All-American Finalist
2024 All-Big Ten First Team
2022 Big Ten Sixth Player ofthe Year
Mara Braun (Minnesota) - 17.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.1 APG
2024 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention
2023 Big Ten All Freshman
Serah Williams (Wisconsin) - 17.4 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 2.8 BPG
2024 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year
2024 All-Big Ten First Team
2024 All-B1G Defensive Team
Julia Ayrault (Michigan State) - 15.4 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 2.1 BPG
2024 First Team All-Big Ten
Cinderella Story:
Illinois — I’m not sure if you can call them a full on Cinderella team this year but I definitely think the Illini are the breakout team of the Big Ten. As the preview mentioned, they bring back the majority of their best contributors, have a good balance in terms of returning front and backcourt options as well as a couple new additions that may bring an element they didn’t have last year. I have a lot of faith in Shauna Green as a coach and Illinois is definitely a place where you can succeed nationally (ask Theresa Grentz). So once you get by the top four teams, there’s a tier of program — Maryland, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan State — that could all play spoiler once or twice this year. Of that group, my money is on the crew from Urbana-Champaign.